Chapter 3 : Sedna's Comb : (Yuralria, Ogtuk-Luk, Unulaq )

[DSIGFUSS]

Unulaq stands beside Faroo and immediately he sees what the Dorset Hunter has spotted in the snow. The tracks of an arctic wolf approaches Sashilla’s own footprints and then continues his pace along side her. Sashilla’s tracks do not appear to have been disturbed as the wolf approached. Faroo eyes widen as he looks at Unualaq.



I can not tell who arrived first… The wolf or the girl… If Sashila is following the wolf then she is a fool. If the wolf is hunting the girl then she may already be dead. What should we do Unulaq?

[DSIGFUSS]

The Elder looks at Yuralria and breathes deeply, scratching his white whispy beard with his one long dirty fingernail.



I will ask of you this one small thing Yuralria. Of our last Shaman Aglakti, we asked too much and for this the black bear came… We are certain.

We ask that once you have been granted permission by the goddess to enter the spirit world, that you take Thorrin with you. We must learn what his people’s intentions are and how this evil spirit Loki has spread his influence to our humble island.

Yuralria knows how huge of a favor this was for the Elder’s to be asking so early in her training. Up until know, her excursions into the spirit world had been mainly accidental. Her delving in spirit magic would invite other spirits and mystical creatures to draw her close to them in the spirit world. She would visit the spirit world in her dreams when she was invited and the experience was almost always pleasant. Spirits would call her into their mysterious land because they were curious or needed her help.
Only a true Shaman, blessed by Sedna during the combing ceremony could enter the spirit world of her own accord. Entering the spirit world without an invitation was dangerous enough for a Shaman by herself. She was considered an outsider and will be treated with malice and hostility by most spirits. It is an insult to travel the spirit world uninvited. A Shaman is often tolerated if the need is great enough… but a if she brings a guest, it will be seen as an outrage beyond reason in the spirit world. Time after time, Shaman's have been taught that it is very dangerous to bring others through the spirit veil.

Aglakti would often perform these favors for the Elders and the Dorset people. When a messenger would come from a far away village, the Elders would ask Aglakti to bring him to the spirit world so the message can be properly translated to avoid any cultural confusion. In the spirit world, language has no meaning. People of any race or culture can communicate freely.

The Elders took advantage of Aglakti in this way as traveling to the spirit world alone took a toll on the Shaman and bringing a guest with her was much worse.

ooc – more sanity loss.

It is good for Yuralria , however, to hear that the Elders have at least taken on some of the responsibility for the previous Shaman’s fall from grace.

[ImpInTraining]

Unalaq's eyes grew wide with sudden realization, "Terrible..." he said as he looked out in the direction both tracks travelled in hopes of seeing one or both of them within range. Then he rushed back to his sled as he said to Faroo, "What we do now is ride hard. We must reach Sashilla before it is too late!"

[trixie]

Yuralria's voice quivers as she replies, "I cannot oblige. I will not take a stranger with me to the first meeting with Sedna. She will be outraged. Truly, you know not what you ask me." Yuralria's eyes flicker to Ogtuk-luk's and she looks uncomfortable. "This sort if thing will bring trouble and penance to our people from the gods. We must stop disrespecting them."

[DSIGFUSS]

Right!

Faroo races to his sled and gets his dogs moving just behind Unulaq. The two push their sled dogs through the morning light. They follow the tracks of Sashila and the wolf for close to 20 minutes before Unulaq loks up into the sky.



Then Unulaq notices something peculiar. There was a black bird flying low in the sky as if to get a better look at the Dorset hunters. It circled no more than 50 feet above them and Unualq could see the black of the bird’s eye… That, at least, was a relief as the eyes of a shape changing Ijiraat always blazed bright red.

Unulaq had noticed the black bird flying much higher before, but had paid it no attention, believing it to be an Arctic Coot. Now he was certain the bird was taking a special interest in his sled team. Unualaq had never seen a bird like this before; with long black tail feathers and sharp black talons… He had heard of similar birds, sacred to some western Inuit tribes, but he had never before seen one on his island. The name suddenly came to Unulaq… Raven! The black bird was most assuredly a Raven.

Faroo didn’t seem to notice the raven following them. Perhaps it’s searching for scraps the Dorset Hunters leave… Unulaq wasn’t sure.

oc – roll Ride Dog Sled and Inuit Mythos

[DSIGFUSS]

The Elder holds up his hands apologetically. The Shaman had seen a great change in the Elder’s attitude towards her. Before they demanded respect… now they give it freely… Aglakti had always told Yuralria that the Dorset people respected the role of the Shaman in their tribe and that the respect they showed her was birthed in fear. Fear of the goddess and what her disciple might do with her blessings.

One of the Elders shakes his head…

Of course not Shaman Yuralria… Your time with Sedna is precious and belongs solely to you. I was implying that you attempt to parlay with Thorrin after your meeting. Once Sedna has given you permission to enter the Spirit World as you choose and you return to your people a full Shaman of the Dorset tribe. Then we would ask that you take Thorrin to the spirit world and ask the questions that desperately need answers.

[ImpInTraining]

Dog Sled(45%); Inuit Mythos(15%) (1d100=60, 1d100=4)

Unalaq was distracted by the bird at a bad time as he failed to control his dog sled as well as he should have.

[trixie]

Of course not Shaman Yuralria… Your time with Sedna is precious and belongs solely to you. I was implying that you attempt to parlay with Thorrin after your meeting. Once Sedna has given you permission to enter the Spirit World as you choose and you return to your people a full Shaman of the Dorset tribe. Then we would ask that you take Thorrin to the spirit world and ask the questions that desperately need answers.

Yuralria's face twists pensively into a scowl, and she stares at the elder that asked the same again. Did he not hear me tell him no? Why would he push, when to his own admission, they pushed Aglakti too far?

"And what questions are these? Thorrin is a stranger of our people. We should not trust him too quickly. I say this over and over again, and no one hears." Yuralria sighs, clearly tired of this discussion, and waves her hands. "Away. Let me rest. I will promise only to think on it."

[DSIGFUSS]

Unualaq has trouble with his sled dogs and their pace seems to slow slightly. Faroo senses this and takes the lead. Unualaq’s sled team quickly adapts and speeds up to keep pace with Faroo.

With Faroo following the trail, Unulaq’s mind has time to wander. He thinks on the Raven and the stories the Elders would tell around the fire of a mysterious black bird from the west.

The legend of Sedna as told by the Western Inuit speaks of a Raven. From what Unualq remembers of the legend, Sedna lived as an Inuit daughter to the chief of her village. The chief had promised her daughter to an Inuit man who had traveled to Sedna’s lands from far away. When they were married, the Inuit man revealed himself to be the Raven. Sedna lived with the Raven for some time in a nest in the mountains. Sedna was very unhappy and her father could hear her crying from her mountain nest. One night the chief, not able to stand for her daughters suffering any longer, stole Sedna back from the Raven. As he rode his Kayak through the water, the Raven summoned a terrible storm to punish the chief. Fearing for his life, the chief threw his daughter over the side of the kayak, hoping the Raven would spare his life. Sedna tried to climb back into the kayak but the chief cut off her fingers with his oar. The severed fingers of Sedna became the mammals of the sea and Sedna their goddess. What became of the Raven is unclear, but the Inuit from the west often refer to the Raven as the Trickster and say that he can never be trusted.

The two Dorset hunters travel for another 20 minutes west until Faroo stops his sled and dismounts.

He scratches his head as the tracks of both the wolf and Sashila end at the Weasel River, now flowing freely to the North. Unulaq knows that the river should not have thawed until spring time when the Ice cracks and the snow melts into the sea. It was far too cold for the river to flowing so free.

ooc – Own Kingdom roll please.
ooc – Spot roll please.

[ImpInTraining]

Own Kingdom (40%); Spot Hidden (70%) (1d100=29, 1d100=16)

"I'm concerned," Unalaq says to Faroo. "The raven tricks us. This river should not be flowing," he mistrusting his own eyes. He scooped up some snow and made a ball as he said "Perhaps it only flows in our own mind?"

Then he tosses the snowball into the river to see if it splashes, or bounces.

[DSIGFUSS]

Unualaq tosses the snowball into the river and watches as it floats up stream. It is then that the Dorset Hunter realizes the river is flowing in the wrong direction, away from the sea and up into the mountains.

Faroo then calls to Unualaq.



Here! Sashila dragged something into the water.

His face is riddled with confusion as he follows a deep disturbance in the snow to the river’s edge.

Both sets of tracks end here. It… looks like she dragged a Kayak to the water. Where did she get a Kayak Unulaq?

[DSIGFUSS]

One of the Elder's steps forward and points a finger at Yuralria. Ogtuk-Luk moves a step towards him as he does so.



No see here Sh...

Another Elder quickly interrupts.



Yes Shaman.... We will await your decision.. Perhaps we will discuss this matter after the combing ceremony. Our humblest apologies for disturbing you. We wish you luck and prosperity on your meeting with the godess..

With that the Elder's quickly file out of Yuralria's hut leaving the Shaman alone with her protector.

Ogtuk-Luk winces and grips his spear tightly as he watches the Elders leave. He then turns to Yurualria.



The Edler's are afraid of the power Sedna will grant you. We have been without a Shaman for far too long and the Edler's word has been a powerful influence on the Dorset people. They fear they will have no say when you return.

[trixie]

Yuralria shudders involuntarily, then forces a smile. "Yes. They are used to getting their way. And they don't take kindly to being told no."

She raises her eyes heavenward and sighs, "I sometimes wonder if I'm cut out for all this. And now they don't trust me." She laughs sarcastically and rolls her eyes. "I can't win."

OC How long til we leave for the ceremony?

[DSIGFUSS]

ooc- You are leaving now!

Yuralria finishes her preparations for the combing ceremony as Ogtuk-luk waits vigilantly outside her hut standing guard. She steps out into the cold morning air wearing her traditional Shaman’s furs she had inherited from Aglakti.

Her tribe is ready and waiting; lined up to the far end of the village, The Dorset hunters to her left and the Dorset women to her right; their children meandering behind them. Mothers carry their youngest wrapped tightly in furs for the journey.

The tribe is now in the capable hands of their Shaman.

Ogtuk-Luk raises his spear into the air and there is a thunderous applause from her people. The cheering of the Dorset people echoes through the village, waiting for Yuralria to silence them and begin their jourey to the birthplace of the godess Sedna.

[ImpInTraining]

Unalaq looked at Faroo and said "It looks as if the wolf led her to the kayak. There are mysterious forces at work, that much is certain. We must continue moving fast if we hope to make the ceremony in time. We can ride along side of the river, hopefully the path will be safe for us."

He looked at the mountains and said "The knife that Tornuaq seeks wanted him to trek into the mountains. I cannot help but think there is some connection between the knife and this wolf. But whatever it is, whatever answers lie within the mountains, now isn't the time for us to go seek them out. We must make haste."

He jumped back on his dogsled and got the dogs back to running, keeping a safe distance from the river (20 feet or so) but still well within sight so he would not get lost.

Dog Sled (45%) (1d100=78)

[trixie]

Ogtuk-Luk raises his spear into the air and there is a thunderous applause from her people. The cheering of the Dorset people echoes through the village, waiting for Yuralria to silence them and begin their jourey to the birthplace of the godess Sedna.

Yuralria steps out, feeling the cold pinch her cheeks and the thunderous applause sing like music in the air. She loved the excitement of these days. The feeling of unity and adrenaline rushing was almost addictive, and she listened with a smile on her face, raising her hands slowly over her head in triumphant acknowledgement of their support. It was moments like these that made her love her position as Shaman. She felt her heart leap in excitement, but she squelched the smile on her face quickly, so that she would not look to eager for their trust.

Yuralria's hand reached full height, and the crowd fell silent, "My good people. Thank you for your welcome. I am most eager to meet Sedna and share her blessing with all of you. It will be a prosperous year for all of us. I can feel it. Now, let us be off."

She begins to walk, eyeing Ogtuk-Luk carefully so as to not get too far ahead of him.

[DSIGFUSS]

The Dorset people Trek for nearly for nearly two hours and as they reach the highest point on the plains Ogtuk-luk walking just behind the Shaman points to the south. A large pillar of smoke rises far off in the distance, forming a giant black cloud. All of the Dorset people know that the Thule have a small fishing settlement a days walk south of the village.



Thule is burning my Shaman!

Yuralria can hear whispers spread though the ranks of her people like a wave. She can sense their fear for even the stoic Ogtuk-luk seems worried.

[DSIGFUSS]

Unulaq and Faroo ride their dogs hard north up the river until they finally spot what they were searching for... A kayak floating in the middle of the Weasel river. Standing alone in the middle of a beautifully carved kayak wearing little more than a few thin furs is Sashila. At this point, the river is no more than 50 feet across and Sashila doesn't seem to notice the two Dorset hunters approaching.

[ImpInTraining]

"Sashila!" Unalaq called out franticly hoping to get her attention. "Sashila! What are you doing? Come with us, meet us at the river's edge that we may make the ceremony for Sedna in time!"

[trixie]

Yuralria stares into the distance, her eyes blinking in disbelief. Her mouth forms an 'O' and she stands, mutely, wondering why on earth this would happen to her good friends to the south.

"We must help! Hurry! Our friends are dying!" Yuralria's voice cracks with emotion and she begins to stride faster towards the village.